WARNING: Don't put fishing reels in hand luggage

[Houseplant]

Just got back from a long haul trip. Despite getting on a plane in Auckland with a fishing reel in hand luggage without a problem, it was picked up by security in Sydney in the transit area and I was made to strip and discard two spools of expensive braid. Apparently 'string' and the like is no longer allowed as it could be used to strangle someone or tie them up. Apparently the rule only came into effect within the last 24 hours. Not happy

[Elton]

That rule's been in place a while over here

[ayjay]

Apparently 'string' and the like is no longer allowed as it could be used to strangle someone or tie them up.

 

Have they banned shoelaces and belts too?

[Houseplant]

Have they banned shoelaces and belts too?

 

Nope and I even saw someone take a guitar on with strings. I think guitar string would be better to garot someone with than my ultralight braid.

[Tim Kelly]

A few years ago I got stopped at Minneapolis airport (after flying in from Winnepeg) on my way back to London. The "Homeland Security" bozo decided that the downeast clamp on rod holders in my hand luggage were an offensive weapon. I pointed out that they weren't any heavier or more dangerous than the ABU 7000's in the same bag or the bottle of whiskey. The little man in the uniform just asked if I'd like to have them confiscated as well then?

 

Rules like this are made in paranoid countries like ours and America and only enforced in these countries. Last year flying to Greece we had a 4 hour torturing going through customs 2 metal detectors on our way out, but on the way home the customs guy was on his phone not even glancing at the X-ray machine. My advice to terrorists is to take your bombs with you on your flights to America or the UK as it's much more difficult on the way back!

 

Joined up thinking I think they call it?

[Ken L]

Travelled to and all arround india by plane with five reels in my hand luggage with not so much a question beyond wanting to know what the rels were. Did the same thing flying from Delhi to Milan but then some jumped up little berk in Milan made me check my hand baggage into the aircraft holds because of the line on the spools.

Number of terrorist incidents involving fishing line in the last 20 years = Nil.

If I were so inclined, I could do more damage with a steel tipped ABS pen than with any item of fishing tackle short of a gaff.

Better garrots that are allowed in hand luggage include belts, shoelaces, bag straps etc.

It's also a bit odd that they will happily sell you overproof spirit in glass bottles in duty free so that if you were so inclined, you could happily turn the bottles into improvised daggers and burn the plane out of the sky by lighting the content.

[Peter M]

what about reels in the luggage that goes in the hold?? not that i am exactly happy about taking my reel in the bag in the hold but i am not taking any of my expensive gear only a cheap reel and rod just in case i get a chance to wet a line while in france with the family.

[Houseplant]

what about reels in the luggage that goes in the hold?? not that i am exactly happy about taking my reel in the bag in the hold but i am not taking any of my expensive gear only a cheap reel and rod just in case i get a chance to wet a line while in france with the family.

 

think you should be OK, but who knows, they seem to make up the rules as they go along

[liamfish]

i nearly lost 2 rods on the way back from tanzania- they were going in the hold but security thought they were guns and wanted to see a fire arms licence!

[Tim Kelly]

I expect the genius who named the rod carry cases "bazooka" was responsible for that little misunderstanding!